the great controversy-第59章

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rites。　All　the　outward　pomp　and　display　of　the　Romish　worship　was　brought　to
bear　to　confuse　the　mind　and　dazzle　and　captivate　the　imagination；　and　thus
the　liberty　for　which　the　fathers　had　toiled　and　bled　was　betrayed　by　the
sons。　The　Jesuits　rapidly　spread　themselves　over　Europe；　and　wherever　they
went；　there　followed　a　revival　of　popery。

To　give　them　greater　power；　a　bull　was　issued　re…establishing　the
inquisition。　（See　Appendix。）　Notwithstanding　the　general　abhorrence　with
which　it　was　regarded；　even　in　Catholic　countries；　this　terrible　tribunal
was　again　set　up　by　popish　rulers；　and　atrocities　too　terrible　to　bear　the
light　of　day　were　repeated　in　its　secret　dungeons。　In　many　countries；
thousands　upon　thousands　of　the　very　flower　of　the　nation；　the　purest　and
noblest；　the　most　intellectual　and　highly　educated；　pious　and　devoted
pastors；　industrious　and　patriotic　citizens；　brilliant　scholars；　talented
artists；　skillful　artisans；　were　slain　or　forced　to　flee　to　other　lands。

Such　were　the　means　which　Rome　had　invoked　to　quench　the　light　of　the
Reformation；　to　withdraw　from　men　the　Bible；　and　to　restore　the　ignorance
and　superstition　of　the　Dark

236

Ages。　But　under　God's　blessing　and　the　labors　of　those　noble　men　whom　He　had
raised　up　to　succeed　Luther；　Protestantism　was　not　overthrown。　Not　to　the
favor　or　arms　of　princes　was　it　to　owe　its　strength。　The　smallest　countries；
the　humblest　and　least　powerful　nations；　became　its　strongholds。　It　was
little　Geneva　in　the　midst　of　mighty　foes　plotting　her　destruction；　it　was
Holland　on　her　sandbanks　by　the　northern　sea；　wrestling　against　the　tyranny
of　Spain；　then　the　greatest　and　most　opulent　of　kingdoms；　it　was　bleak；
sterile　Sweden；　that　gained　victories　for　the　Reformation。

For　nearly　thirty　years　Calvin　labored　at　Geneva；　first　to　establish　there　a
church　adhering　to　the　morality　of　the　Bible；　and　then　for　the　advancement
of　the　Reformation　throughout　Europe。　His　course　as　a　public　leader　was　not
faultless；　nor　were　his　doctrines　free　from　error。　But　he　was　instrumental
in　promulgating　truths　that　were　of　special　importance　in　his　time；　in
maintaining　the　principles　of　Protestantism　against　the　fast…returning　tide
of　popery；　and　in　promoting　in　the　reformed　churches　simplicity　and　purity
of　life；　in　place　of　the　pride　and　corruption　fostered　under　the　Romish
teaching。

From　Geneva；　publications　and　teachers　went　out　to　spread　the　reformed
doctrines。　To　this　point　the　persecuted　of　all　lands　looked　for　instruction；
counsel；　and　encouragement。　The　city　of　Calvin　became　a　refuge　for　the
hunted　Reformers　of　all　Western　Europe。　Fleeing　from　the　awful　tempests　that
continued　for　centuries；　the　fugitives　came　to　the　gates　of　Geneva。
Starving；　wounded；　bereft　of　home　and　kindred；　they　were　warmly　welcomed　and
tenderly　cared　for；　and　finding　a　home　here；　they　blessed　the　city　of　their
adoption　by　their　skill；　their　learning；　and　their　piety。　Many　who　sought
here　a　refuge　returned　to　their　own　countries　to　resist　the　tyranny　of　Rome。
John　Knox；　the　brave　Scotch　Reformer；　not　a　few　of　the　English　Puritans；　the
Protestants　of　Holland　and　of　Spain；　and　the　Huguenots　of　France　carried
from　Geneva　the　torch　of　truth　to　lighten　the　darkness　of　their　native
lands。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（237）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　13

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Netherlands　and　Scandinavia


In　The　Netherlands　the　papal　tyranny　very　early　called　forth　resolute
protest。　Seven　hundred　years　before　Luther's　time　the　Roman　pontiff　was　thus
fearlessly　impeached　by　two　bishops；　who；　having　been　sent　on　an　embassy　to
Rome；　had　learned　the　true　character　of　the　〃holy　see〃：　God　〃has　made　His
queen　and　spouse；　the　church；　a　noble　and　everlasting　provision　for　her
family；　with　a　dowry　that　is　neither　fading　nor　corruptible；　and　given　her
an　eternal　crown　and　scepter；　。　。　。　all　which　benefits　you　like　a　thief
intercept。　You　set　up　yourself　in　the　temple　of　God；　instead　of　a　pastor；
you　are　become　a　wolf　to　the　sheep；　。　。　。　you　would　make　us　believe　you　are
a　supreme　bishop；　but　you　rather　behave　like　a　tyrant。　。　。　。　Whereas　you
ought　to　be　a　servant　of　servants；　as　you　call　yourself；　you　endeavor　to
become　a　lord　of　lords。　。　。　。　You　bring　the　commands　of　God　into　contempt。　。
。　。　The　Holy　Ghost　is　the　builder　of　all　churches　as　far　as　the　earth
extends。　。　。　。　The　city　of　our　God；　of　which　we　are　the　citizens；　reaches　to
all　the　regions　of　the　heavens；　and　it　is　greater　than　the　city；　by　the　holy
prophets　named　Babylon；　which　pretends　to　be　divine；　wins　herself　to　heaven；
and　brags　that　her　wisdom　is　immortal；　and　finally；　though　without　reason；
that　she　never　did　err；　nor　ever　can。〃Gerard　Brandt；　History　of　the
Reformation　in　and　About　the　Low　Countries；　b。　1；　p。　6。

238


Others　arose　from　century　to　century　to　echo　this　protest。　And　those　early
teachers　who；　traversing　different　lands　and　known　by　various　names；　bore
the　character　of　the　Vaudois　missionaries；　and　spread　everywhere　the
knowledge　of　the　gospel；　penetrated　to　the　Netherlands。　Their　doctrines
spread　rapidly。　The　Waldensian　Bible　they　translated　in　verse　into　the　Dutch
language。　They　declared　〃that　there　was　great　advantage　in　it；　no　jests；　no
fables；　no　trifles；　no　deceits；　but　the　words　of　truth；　that　indeed　there
was　here　and　there　a　hard　crust；　but　that　the　marrow　and　sweetness　of　what
was　good　and　holy　might　be　easily　discovered　in　it。〃Ibid。；　b。　1；　p。　14。
Thus　wrote　the　friends　of　the　ancient　faith；　in　the　twelfth　century。

Now　began　the　Romish　persecutions；　but　in　the　midst　of　fagots　and　torture
the　believers　continued　to　multiply；　steadfastly　declaring　that　the　Bible　is
the　only　infallible　authority　in　religion；　and　that　〃no　man　should　be
coerced　to　believe；　but　should　be　won　by　preaching。〃Martyn；　vol。　2；　p。　87。

The　teachings　of　Luther　found　a　congenial　soil　in　the　Netherlands；　and
earnest　and　faithful　men　arose　to　preach　the　gospel。　From　one　of　the
provinces　of　Holland　came　Menno　Simons。　Educated　a　Roman　Catholic　and
ordained　to　the　priesthood；　he　was　wholly　ignorant　of　the　Bible；　and　he
would　not　read　it　for　fear　of　being　beguiled　into　heresy。　When　a　doubt
concerning　the　doctrine　of　transubstantiation　forced　itself　upon　him；　he
regarded　it　as　a　temptation　from　Satan；　and　by　prayer　and　confession　sought
to　free　himself　from　it；　but　in　vain。　By　mingling　in　scenes　of　dissipation
he　endeavored　to　silence　the　accusing　voice　of　conscience；　but　without
avail。　After　a　time　he　was　led　to　the　study　of　the　New　Testament；　and　this；
with　Luther's　writings；　caused　him　to　accept　the　reformed　faith。　He　soon
after　witnessed　in　a　neighboring　village　the　beheading　of　a　man　who　was　put
to　death　for　having　been　rebaptized。　This　led　him　to　study　the　Bible　in
regard　to　infant　baptism。　He　could　find　no　evidence　for　it　in　the
Scriptures；　but　saw　that　repentance　and　faith　are

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　239

everywhere　required　as　the　condition　of　receiving　baptism。

Menno　withdrew　from　the　Roman　Church　and　devoted　his　life　to　teaching　the
truths　which　he　had　received。　In　both　Germany　and　the　Netherlands　a　class　of
fanatics　had　risen；　advocating　absurd　and　seditious　doctrines；　outraging
order　and　decency；　and　proceeding　to　violence　and　insurrection。　Menno　saw
the　horrible　results　to　which　these　movements　would　inevitably　lead；　and　he
strenuously　opposed　the　erroneous　teachings　and　wild　schemes　of　the
fanatics。　There　were　many；　however；　who　had　been　misled　by　these　fanatics；
but　who　had　renounced　their　pernicious　doctrines；　and　there　were　still
remaining　many　descendants　of　the　ancient　Christians；　the　fruits　of　the
Waldensian　teaching。　Among　these　classes　Menno　labored　with　great　zeal　and
success。

For　twenty…five　years　he　traveled；　with　his　wife　and　children；　enduring
great　hardships　and　privations；　and　frequently　in　peril　of　his　life。　He
traversed　the　Netherlands　and　northern　Germany；　laboring　chiefly　among　the
humbler　classes　but　exerting　a　widespread　influence。　Naturally　eloquent；
though　possessing　a　limited　education；　he　w